J&K: Mainstream parties condemn killing of civilian, separatists call for shutdown
Police sources say they are yet to ascertain the circumstances under which Khalid was killed by the army.
Mainstream and separatist parties in Kashmir valley have condemned the killing of a civilian, who was killed by the army in an “encounter” in South Kashmir’s Tral on Monday evening. While the separatists have called for a shutdown in Tral on Wednesday and Friday, the mainstream parties have demanded an impartial probe into the incident.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said that government would conduct “proper investigations” into the incident.
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“We are getting two different versions of the story, one from the locals on the ground and other from security establishments,” said PDP spokesperson Waheed Para. “Law will take it own course and those found guilty will be punished.”
The army on Monday had said that a “militant” was killed “in an encounter” in the forests of Tral area. However, the slain later turned out to be a civilian, identified as Khalid Ahmad.
The opposition national conference, while condemning the killing has demanded a magisterial probe. “It is an unfortunate incident. This is the reason why our party has been demanding the revocation of AFSPA,” National Conference General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar said. “Chief Minister Mufti Mohamed Sayeed recently has assured the state assembly that there would be no human right violation. But nothing is visible on the ground.”
Congress has also condemned the incident and demanded action against those who committed the crime. “It is an unfortunate incident. The locals say Khalid was a civilian this incident should be properly investigated,” JKPCC vice president Ghulam Nabi Monga said.
Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Geelani has appealed the world community and human rights organization to take serious notice of the “innocent killing of a 22 years old youth. “The statement of Indian army is surprising in which they had termed the civilian Khalid Muzaffar Wani as militant and tried to justify his killing,” said Geelani. “This attitude proves that the occupational forces in J-K is not any responsible institution and they don’t have any sense of accountability.”
Geelani, also asked people across the state to reach Tral on Friday and called for a complete shutdown in Tral on Wednesday.
Moderate Hurriyat too has called for a complete shutdown in the district. “Till black laws like AFSPA continue to remain in force in Kashmir , the army and other forces under its shield would continue to kill innocent people,” Hurriyat chairman (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said.
Lashing out against the coalition BJP-PDP government, Mirwaiz said the “murder of the innocent civilians” unveils the evil designs of PDP and BJP, against the Kashmiris. “Innocent killings and injuring of other people deflates the claims of Delhi and its local affiliates who repeatedly state that peace is returning to Kashmir ,” he said.
Source:: Indian Express